WEBVTT STINGERA CAREER COP WHOONCE HELD THEHIGHEST RANK ONTHE MAINE STATEPOLICE FORCE IS ANACCUSED CHILDMOLESTER TONIGHT.INVESTIGATORSSAY RETIREDCOLONEL ANDREWDEMERS HAD SEXUALCONTACT WITH AYOUNG RELATIVE.W-M-T-W NEWSEIGHT'S PAULMERRILL IS LIVE ATTHE CUMBERLANDCOUNTY JAIL WITHOUR TOP STORYTONIGHT.STATE POLICE ARELETTING THECUMBERLANDCOUNTY SHERIFF'SOFFICE HANDLE THISCASE TO AVOID ANYPERCEIVED CONFLICTOF INTEREST.THEINVESTIGATIONBEGAN ONE WEEKAGO AND, THISMORNING, THE 73-YEAR-OLD RETIREDSTATE POLICE CHIEFTURNED HIMSELF INTO BE ARRESTED ANDCHARGED WITH AFELONY.THIS WAS COLONELANDREW DEMERSBEING SWORN IN ASTHE CHIEF OF THEMAINE STATE POLICEBACK IN 1987 ANDTHIS WAS HISBOOKING PHOTOFROM THIS MORNING.00:03:38-00:03:44KevinJoyce/Cumberland Co.Sheriff: "It's disturbingbecause we deal withthis all the time and wesee the fallout. We seethat it's not right."CUMBERLANDCOUNTY SHERIFFKEVIN JOYCE SAYSDEMERS HAD SEXUALCONTACT WITH AFOUR-YEAR-OLDFEMALE FAMILYMEMBER AT DEMERS'SNEW GLOUCESTERHOME NINE OR TENTIMES OVER THEPAST COUPLE OFMONTHS.INVESTIGATORSSAY THE 73-YEAR-OLDADMITTED TO THECRIME. 00:02:54-00:03:02KevinJoyce/Cumberland Co.Sheriff: "The initialadmission was to afamily member andthen that got to aformer colleague andthen that was relayedto the districtattorney's office."DEMERS'SNEIGHBORS AREAMONG THOSE WHOARE SHOCKED BYTODAY'S NEWS.00:01:27-00:01:28BobGrindle/Neighbor: "Ohyah, I hope it's nottrue."BOB GRINDLE USEDTO WORK AS A YOUTHPASTOR AND HASLIVED IN THIS NEWGLOUCESTERNEIGHBORHOOD FORSEVEN YEARS.00:00:22-00:00:29BobGrindle/Neighbor: "Foranybody to molest achild is ridiculous anddisgusting and all thewords you want to useabout it."A SOURCE TELLS W-M-T-W NEWS EIGHTTHAT DEMERS TRIEDTO KILL HIMSELFLAST WEEK BYTAKING PILLS.INVESTIGATORSISSUED A WARRANTTO ARREST HIM ONFRIDAY.THE SHERIFF SAYSTHERE ARE STILL ALOT OF QUESTIONSTHAT NEED TO BEANSWERED. 00:05:33-00:05:45KevinJoyce/Cumberland Co.Sheriff: "I didn't seeanything where therewas any whys. I think,as an investigator,that's what you alwaysask is why? Whathappened? What is it?And I can't tell youwhat the why was."TAGPART OF A WRITTENSTATEMENT ISSUEDTODAY BY THECURRENT MAINESTATE POLICE CHIEFREADS, "The StatePolice are stunned atthe allegation, andsaddened for the victimand their family. Ourthoughts and concernsare with them."DEMERS IS FREEON BAIL TONIGHT.NO ONE ANSWEREDTHE DOOR AT HIS NEWGLOUCESTER HOMETODAY AND HISLAWYER NEVERGLOUCESTER HOMETODAY AND HISLAWYER NEVERANSWERED OURREQUEST FOR ACOMMENT.NO COURT DATEHAS BEEN SET YET.LIVE IN PORTLAND,PAUL MERRILL, W-M-T-W NEWS EIGHT.